Olga Pazukha is one of ACMP’s newer members. We invited her to share a little about herself with our change management community.

Olga Pazukha

Tell us about yourself.
I often describe myself as a storyteller because much of the work I do in communications is about giving a voice to an organization through its people. I love turning complex, technical information into a story about people and the impacts change has on how people live and work.

I have a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University and have been working in communications and public affairs in the healthcare, non-profit, and consumer product segments until my most recent role as a Communications Advisor with BC Hydro.

How did you get into Change Management?
In my previous role as Communications Manager with LifeLabs Medical Laboratories I had the privilege of working side-by-side with a very talented Change Manager and discovered my passion for change communications.

As a communicator, so much of what I do is about telling a story with the purpose of informing new ways of doing things, and working with change managers helped me see people’s motivations, as well as barriers to change. This helped me become a more focused communicator, and helped me discover new dimensions of the audiences I was trying to reach.

At the end of the day, both communicators and change managers approach people from a place of empathy to help everyone get on the same page, which is always inspiring.

What are you working on?I just started my role as a Communications Advisor with BC Hydro, looking after communications around employee safety. It’s such a crucial part of everything we do; there is such complexity in what safety means in an organization with such a dispersed and diverse workforce.

Do you have any recommended change management books/resources to share?I generally enjoy Harvard Business Review articles on change management for an analytical, real-life look at change in today’s business world. And, although it’s not specific to change management I listen to the “Note to Self” podcast that talks about the role of technology in changing the way we go about our daily errands, relate to one another, and of course communicate.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?I’m currently pursuing my MBA at UBC part time, so much of my free time is spent in classes or project meetings. I’m halfway through the program and it’s been such a rewarding experience to learn something new and have the opportunity to apply it at work!

I also volunteer with the International Association of Business Communicators and the Women in Leadership Foundation. And I recharge my batteries with morning runs, yoga, and going to an art show, the theatre or a movie.